What is everyone's concerns for next season and what is making people feel more hopeful for next season?

Concerns

- Summer Transfers - Falcao does not give me much confidence going into the next season and I'm still worried that Remy will leave. I really think we need another game changer in the team like we have with Hazard.

- Lack of a MF to play next to Matic in tougher games. There's no doubt Fabregas is quality but in some games last season (i.e. Spurs away) our midfield got torn apart, we really need that player who can sit alongside Matic in those kinds of games (no I don't think Mikel or Ramires are good enough).

- Our rivals are strengthening, Arsenal have taken Petr Cech from us and this is an area they have lacked in for a lot of years, Man Utd seem to have a blank cheque and are adding some real talent to their squad and City won't be as bad as last year, Sterling may also prove to be a huge asset.

- Depth quality - we had depth but do we have quality in depth. I'm not so sure if Hazard were to get injured who would come in? Cuadadro looked shocking last season aswell. Also the DM issue I have raised and CB. We need quality to challenge on all four fronts.

- Terrys age - yes Terry stayed fit all last season (we were lucky for that) but he's not getting any younger and I don't think we look the same withou him.

Hope

- Summer Transfers - Asmir Begovic was an outstanding purchase for backup goalkeeper. Falcao whilst not a player I think I have will do well may actually prove me wrong and turn out to be a shrewd move.

- Our rivals haven't strengthened in all the right areas (yet) - Arsenal's defence is the same as it was and even with the emerging Coquelin they are still lacking that midfield general pls they have Wenger. Man U need defenders and a centre forward but there seems to be a lack of real talent out there available in those positions. City have an ageing team and Pellegrini at the helm.

- Youth - this may save our season if 1 or 2 of youngsters can step up (we're all hopeful on RLC who might save us on the DM issue)

Cuadadro - he was in the above column aswell but maybe he will step up this season and show us what he's made of.

Prioriy number one for me is retaining the title everything else comes secondary. It's all ifs and buts right no but I feel if we don't get in at least one player who is first team quality we could be in for another 2010-11 season when we didn't push on at all.

That's it from me, anyone else?

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

Concern, midfield. Hope, I'm always hopeful.

Thinking about the season ahead is, for me, worse at this time. My hope rises and my concerns fade as we get under way. Remember the start of last season? Wowser!

My only hope for me is a better performance in the Champions League. I'd like to see us get to the semi-final at least.

As for concerns, it's mainly squad depth and a lack of what I'd call 'game-changing' players. I dread to think what will happen if Hazard gets an injury that keeps him out for a long time.

I'm going to start with Hope

Hopes; 

1. WE still have the best defence by a long way in the league which all good teams need and should be the backbone to our teams success

2. We have lots of first team players that can still develop and improve who already possess bags of quality

     Matic, Fabregas and Costa will have had more time to gel with the rest of the squad 
      Oscar, Hazard and Zouma are still young and bound to get better
3. Most of our players have had a full summers rest which we haven't had for a while and this should help our players from getting fatigued later in the season.
4. We have one of the most talented bunch of youngsters in the world and hopefully some of those get a look into the first team squad with the likes of RLC and Traore getting some game time

5. Willian will improve his end product and I believe he has the ability to do this and hopefully Cuadrado can show us why he is worth 27 million and add some depth to our attacking midfield

6. There is still over a month of the transfer window to fix any of my concerns

We have a very balance happy and very strong squad that look like Winners and we have JOSE so theres a lot to be hopeful for

Concerns
1. Lack depth in defence Currently if we have 2 injuries at full back or 3 injuries to are defence in total we have no top class cover (hopefully we sign a couple of players as cover i.e Stones/ Ramagnoli and Baba, or our loaned out defenders have recall clauses especially Ake who's been linked with a loan move to premier league clubs)

2. Mikel and Ramires aren't the best backup midfielders in the league and United are massively ahead in midfield depth due to their summer signings although Mikel at least would  probably would start for Arsenal 
so our Midfield might need a bit of strengthening

3. Cuadrado and Falcao haven't quite shown it yet in the BPL although have shown there class elsewhere

4. There is still time for our rivals to bring in more talent and if Arsenal pick up a couple of class signings they will really challenge

5. Cech leaving he's an excellent keeper who would improve any side in the league and has sorted out a rivals biggest weakness at least we have bought in Begovic as his replacement  

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by PedroMendez

John Terry doesnt fear age, age fears John Terry

Mikel and Ramires not good enough to sit the bench? Ye of little faith

Mikel and Ramires not good enough to sit the bench? Ye of little faith

I didn't say that I said about them been good enough to sit alongside Matic in those really tough games.

DM spots could have been upgraded from a good duo to 3 good players. Ramires and Mikel seem deadweight to me.

Right side is a questionmark. Willian was very good latter part of the season but the end product..

Falcao is a huge questionmark but fine enough to replace Drogs. He can also end up being very valuable.

Zouma. I like him. I'd like him to really step up and really contest for the spot.

RLC. What will happen to him? My guess is he won't play much.

Costa's groin. It's a concern. Never been this concerned about other man's "area" but as a Chelsea fan I need to be.

Oscar. Will he bloom or is it another season with 4 months of good football and then complete fade away?

If Oscar has enough season like that I'm sure he'd be sold

Oscar will be back on form this year

Mystic Zola says so

We've seen Oscars quality, not on enough occasions, but this will be a big season for him after a much needed rest, Dunga did us a big favour by leaving him out. I feel this season we won't just be relying on Hazard to bring us forward

Oscar will be back on form this year

Mystic Zola says so

Hope you're wearing a magic hat.

Oh sh*t, Zola's jinxed another....hopefully its just tennis you do this in

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by dkw

Atmosphere, Pyro,Standing,Flags around the ground and 100% effort from the team that'll do for me !!!!

Im hoping all the players are even more hungrier this season

Hoping costa does well in the champions league as he didn't score a single goal last season.

I think Cahill gets far too much stick and he actually did very well for us. There was a reason mourinho dropped him and then brought him back.

Hoping Ramires and Oscar both step up this season. If those two really perform for us alongside hazard, matic and Willian, then we'd be unstoppable.

Regarding the champions league, I'd be very happy with at least a semi final and I'm confident we'll make it there.

Hoping RLC gets more games and really come into his own this season. I'd love one youth player to make it.

hoping mourinho signs a long term contract and the club honors it even if we don't win any trophies. We need some stability after all these years.

If we do get stones I hope he and zouma get to pair up in the league cup

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by Darogba

I didn't say that I said about them been good enough to sit alongside Matic in those really tough games.

You said they werent good enough backups. But they arent good enough to cut it starting, this is true

Hopes and concerns for next season?

 

Hope....it could start tomorrow.

 

Concern....every game.

 

Are we there yet?  Are we there yet?   Can't wait.

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Can't wait.

Round the next corner :)

Edited July 20, 201510 yr by NorthernMonkey

Hopes.. We win the Prem & CL

Concerns..         We Don't !! 

No concerns. We will retain the title and get to the final of the champuons league.

It's all too easy to want everything now alas football seems rarely to be about the future.

JM is now cemented in as manager and winning the league last year has given him some breathing space meaning that hopefully he can now build the dynasty he has talked about

I, no doubt like just about every Chelsea supporter, really didn't want to think about the likes of Cech, Lampard, Drogba and JT moving on. That part of transition is nearly complete we now can add Ivan to that list for he is now at the age where we have to plan for his departure.

We are now well covered at GK and fingers crossed we won't do anything at that position for maybe another 5 or so years

Fullback is interesting . I along with others was a little surprised when Luiz was signed but if the reports are right that club clearly don't see him as being a real option either now or indeed the mid- long term. I wonder if the plans are now to move Dave to his normal side and if the replacement who is being mentioned is signed sadly I think that Ivan will, as the season progresses, will become more a covering player added to that I do wonder if we become light in that area the club will be planning to promote from the academy with one in particular gaining rave reviews and another on the current tour

CD is interesting in that I doubt that JT will get anywhere near the playing time next season and whilst it seems obvious to many that KZ will cover I am not so sure that's what will happen and suspect if Stones arrives KZ will have a season on loan elsewhere in the PL returning as a first choice in season 2017/18 having played as full season elsewhere in the PL and again if Stone does indeed arrive Cahill will see his playing time reduced

Midfield really isn't an issue plenty of cover age not being a problem and hopefully Oscar having had a good rest and recovered from injury will develop and perform at the level we all expect

Our forwards will hopefully prove to be even more of a threat and the addition of Tarore at the tender age he is will be a free squad member

Who do I think will leave? I think Moses will as will Salah and possibly Cuadrado and as I mention earlier Cahill and KZ

What do I expect? of course I want us to win everything . I do however think that a top two of three spot is the minimum in the league with JM having a greater focus on the CL and or one or both of the other two cup competitions

Edited July 21, 201510 yr by terraloon